The University of South Florida

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Criminal (This Major's Salary over time)
While the faculty in my particular department are great, USF itself is not at all what I expected or would look for in a university—at either the graduate or undergraduate level. I did my undergrad. in the north and this school was as different as could be (and not in a good way).

It is commuter school and that is not going to change any time soon. The area of Tampa where the school is located is awful—urban sprawl at its worst. I lived next to the campus for convenience and we had crack dealers in the apartment complex, and a dead body in the parking lot. Almost everything around the campus is a chain and very uninspired. Plus, you have to drive everywhere. I am from the northeast and am used to walkable/bikable neighborhoods and interesting little shops, restaurants, and bars/clubs. The USF area has none of this. You have to drive to St. Petersburg (Tampa seems to cater to the mass-culture crowd)for anything even close to comparable, and that is such a hike. Forget about public transportation or taxis—the former is useless and the latter is ridiculously expensive. Biking is an option, but it is dangerous and usually so hot that by the time you get to school, you are disgustingly soaked.

As for things to do, sure you can get involved if you seek things out…I mean really, really hunt for stuff to do. I am in some organizations, which are fine, and sure we all go out to the local TGI Fridays or Chili's or whatever, but, eh, you could do that literally in any city. Ybor is a dump, Hyde Park is lame, and Channelside is one of those prepackaged

entertainment districts

Tampa just really doesn't have those funky neighborhoods and interesting people that I have found in other places that I have lived. Hell, Columbus, Ohio was more fun.

Classes are overcrowded and very difficult to get into at the undergraduate level. From classes where I have been a TA, these students seem to be of low caliber (most, certainly not all), and it is very frustrating for TA's. The school admits probably everyone that applies, giving scholarships to almost anyone, and gleefully taking the money of the others. Graduate classes are fine, although even there, the faculty:student ratio is pretty bad. The professors do there best though.

The campus itself it ugly concrete. The palm trees lose their novelty quickly. The library is not well-stocked for my discipline and I have had to inter-library loan almost everything that I needed for my thesis. Luckily, the ILL department is very good.

The worst thing about USF is not really completely the schools fault. This state underfunds education to a point that is really sickening. Budgets are constantly getting cut—they even LAID OFF TA's this year!! Can you imagine selecting a school and expecting funding, provided that you progress normally and work hard, only to be cut because the state has cut the education budget again??!! Its unbelievable. Money that the school does receive is misspent on new buildings and brass bull statues. Police are understaffed and underpaid. Not good when the school is surrounded by such a high-crime area.

In-state tuition is very, very low, but you do get what you pay for. It is a low-cost university with low quality education. It is a shame, because my department really has some great minds. Many professors here will actually be leaving since the pay and benefits are so low and unpredictable—this has already begun.

This is all my opinion—but read any local newspaper, or even the (pretty lousy) school paper ann you will see what I mean. From comments on this board, you can see that some students love it here, but if you have ever been to a college with a real college atmosphere, you would see that you are being deprived the full "college experience". If you are from here and don't plan on leaving Florida, then I guess this place would be cheap and as good as any, if you just intend on picking up a degree.

I would just suggest that, especially out-of-state or international, students look elsewhere. You will be sorely disappointed with USF :(